1972 - Gerald M. Edelman

Gerald Maurice Edelman (1929 - present) was awarded half of the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his discoveries concerning the chemical structure of antibodies. Working separately from Rodney Porter and his colleagues, Edelman determined a complete model of the antibody molecule. Later he discovered cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), which are proteins that help cells bind together to create tissues. These proteins are used in the brain to create pathways among neurons called brain circuits, which help information flow in the brain. He also developed theories of brain development and wrote books about how the brain works and consciousness.